The Princess & The Chickpea

29/07/2024

We catered for the AGM of hen rescue association Champs Libres aux Poules on Saturday. A three-course sit-down vegan meal, with beer sponsored by the microbrewery Brasserie/Bar La Kavaï in Villemur. Most ingredients were sourced from local farms in the Gers.
Vintage tableware from our vast selection.
Descriptions under the individual pictures.

31/05/2024

Oyster mushroom beignets in a beer, garlic and sesame batter.

25/05/2024

Homemade spelt seitan marinated in sesame oil, garlic, pepper and white wine. Knotted washed flour method.

24/05/2024

Sesame fried rice with spring onions and cashew nuts, topped with smoky maple aubergine

11/05/2024

Raw vegan raspberry tartlets. Tartlet made with with dried fruits and nuts

24/01/2024

Potato cakes made with leftover mashed potatoes, peas, corn and celery. I added a fried onion, some flour and some exra seasoning, then shaped the mixture into patties, rolled them in flour and gently shallow fried them. The accompaniments are tomato and onion salad, carrot and apple salad with pecans, seeds, lemon and orange juice and spices and sprouted lentiks for some extra protein and crunch.
Plate 1970s Portmeirion Botanic Garden, private collection.

11/01/2024

I'm in Rishikesh, which is a lacto-vegetarian state where there are no meat or egg products available. It's also a dry state. No problem ordering vegan food here and there are lots of interesting options.
Here, at the rooftop Green Italian restaurant on site, tandoori mushrooms with coriander and mint sauce and a lovely salad, plus cumin rice.
I also had a vegan pizza with a chickpea flour base and cashew cheese.
Lots of ideas to experiment with when I get back.

04/01/2024

We've had two delicious vegan, wheat-free meals at in Rishikesh. Very reasonable prices and friendly staff. One interesting dish was tandoori chaap, like ribs, made from soya flour. Eat in, take out or local delivery. The owner speaks English. Ask for vegan dishes. I think we've very greedily tried everything vegan on the menu. I also simply asked for specific vegetables that weren't necessarily on the menu and got them.

25/12/2023

Merry Christmas! Seitan and mushroom pie, with home-made spelt seitan, button and chestnut mushrooms, trompettes de la mort and truffles. Spelt shortcrust pastry. Roast potatoes, parsnips and radishes; steamed sprouts, tender-stem broccoli and peas, cauliflower cheese and red wine and onion gravy.

22/12/2023

Butternut, sweet potato, white potato, onion, parsnip, carrot, mixed spices, chipotle flakes almond milk, coriander garnish. I love my electric soup maker and used the one I gave my daughter today. Cooked red lentils added after cooking for protein and flavour.

18/12/2023

Smokey maple grilled aubergine with roast potato, artichoke, parsnip and onion.

14/12/2023

Tvp stew with shiitake mushrooms

10/12/2023

Black rice with three mushroom sauce (champignons de paris, shiitake, trompettesde la mort) with armagnac, steamed vegetables.

07/12/2023

There's been a lot of batch cooking here over the past two weeks, stocking vegan freezers for the end of the year, as I will be in India!
I'm doing individual and family portions.
These kind culinary delights include: Mung and lentil shepherd's pie with kriek beer Stuffed aubergines Goulash Mushrooms in a savoury sauce with creamy potato topping. Spicy black-eyed peas with flatbread Gluten-free lasagne Vegetable fried rice with tofu, mushrooms and pistachios Little gems, peas, celery and leeks in a savoury sauce with a steamed potato topping Pasta in a creamy mushroom sauce with trompettes de la mort and armagnac Lemony apple crumble gluten-free Chestnut, chocolate and orange crème with an orange, carrot and ginger marmalade topping Dutch style spicy poached pears

18/09/2023

Making seitan from scratch can seem a wasteful process but it doesnt have to be. Don't throw away the starch that washes out of the flour; use it to make a pudding! I used soya and coconut milk, cardamom, nutmeg and vanilla and topped it with a good dollop of freshly-made plum and damson jam made with fruit from a friend's garden.
The water went to the pot plants on my terrace. No waste!

31/08/2023

A good article on why not to start keeping bees. Honeybees are livestock and are not endangered. Plant flowers and leave natural areas in your fadden to help the largeky unseen, unloved, but essential pollinators, such as wasps and moths.
The Beekeepers Who Don’t Want You to Buy More Bees

In Slovenia and around the world, conservationists try — and mostly fail — to combat the widespread belief that honey bees are in danger.

26/08/2023

I see the French government is spending 200 million euros on surplus wine to shore ip the wine industry. How about using the land to grow essential crops?

26/08/2023

Palm hearts, mushrooms and onions in a beer batter, with a pinch of morrocan spices, caper water and piri piri. The palm hearts gave a seafood effect.

13/08/2023

Gluten-free spaghetti with tomato, olive and basil (onion, garlic, courgette, carrot, sun-dried tomato, tomato paste), Violife mozzarella style grated cheez. Plate "marguerite", 1890s, fork French art nouveau, both from Rose & Frog vintage styling.

02/08/2023

Stuffed mushrooms and ratatouille. Stuffing made with lentils, onions, celery, garlic, cashews, barley and carrots.

02/08/2023

https://www.dancehallmag.com/2023/07/31/news/jesse-royal-speaks-on-struggles-that-vegan-artists-face-on-overseas-tours.html
Interesting article on vegan musicians struggling to eat properly on tour.

The matter of Rastafarian musicians having limited access to vegan food, or its lack thereof whilst on extensive overseas tours, was recently highlighted

01/08/2023

Chocolate chocolate chip and marmalade and red fruits nicecream.

20/07/2023

"Game" style seitan in a mustard, rosemary, prune and armagnac sauce. Washed flour, knotted method.

02/07/2023

I'm thinking of spending a couple of months in the UK from September. If anyone has any suggestions for venues where my son (also qualified in France for catering, barman and silver service) and I could do one-off takeovers and private catering, let me know. Any number from a gourmet dinner for 2 at home to a buffet or sit-down meal for 50 people. Strictly vegan and can be gluten or wheat free. I make my own bread, seitan and nicecream, for example.

22/06/2023

Lemon, garlic and tartagon spelt seitan with mushrooms. I steamed it this time for the initial cooking. Firmer result.